The National tribune., 1887-04-28
MAINE AND TILE VETERANS.

as Ink NAllOSAL lElBUNE naS buONu,
the Legislature Of Maine has an unusual
number Of veterans in il, and they did good
service for their comrades last Winter in
passing desirable legislation. The first was
an act which excludes the dependent soldier
from the classification of pauper, says the
right TO vote shall not be taken away from
him, and that the trustees shall specially
provide for him and his family.
The next was an act authorizing towns
and cites to appropriate money to defray the
expenses Of Memorial Day.
An act TO punish unauthorized persons for
wearing the GAR. badge reads as follows:
Amy person who shall willfully wear the badge Of
the Grand Army OF the Republic who shall use
wear the 10 obtain aid or assistance thereby
within this State unless he shall be entitled to
wear the same under the rules and regulations
ofthe Department of Maine, Grand Army Of the
Republic, shall be guilty Of misdemeanor. and
upon conviction shall be punished 10y imprison-
ment for n term not to exceed 90 days In the
County jail. fine not 10 exceed S20 or by both
such fine and imprisonment.
An act TO provide for the burial expenses
Of honorably-discharge soldiers and sailors"
provides that when any such who reside in
the State, and may be in destitute circum-
stances, etc, the State shall assume the ex
penses of the funeral, the same not TO exceed
$50. The certificate of the nearest GAR.
Post shall be evidence as to the deceased
having been a soldier and in destitute cir
cumstances. Such persons shall not be
buried in pauper's field.
The law providing pensions for disabled
Maine soldiers was so amended as to give
the pension to the widow during her
widOwhood, orphan children under II years
of age, orphan minor children over - years
of age who are partially or totally disabled
by accident or chronic sickness, or the de-
pendent parent or sister of any soldier or
seaman deceased: provided, that NO more
than So a month shall be paid one family"
The sum of $4,000 was appropriated 10
meet this expense.
In this connection we cannot do better
than publish the following vigorous letter
from Gen. James A. Hall, one OF the best
soldiers sent out by Maine, and one of the
trnest and most earnest comrades of the
GAR:
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUSE: You ask me about
| the act favoring minors and widows of soldiers and
sailors passed the last session Of the Maine Leg
islature. i have not the act before me, but as
remember il was to do for these individuals what
would keep them from going TO the poorhouse,
there being many in danger OF that calamity. /
will mail 10 you in a few days the full text OF the
act.
In short, the State OF Maine felt called upon 10
shoulder the debt due 10 the veterans and their
widows and orphans which the President OF the
United States by his veto said should not be paid.
These are peculiar times. "StraininG out gnat
and swallowing a came" was never well illus
trated as when the President approved the Mexican
Pension Bin and vetoed the Dependent Bill in
favor Of Union soldiers. Had there been bill
! before Congress 10 pension every veteran OF the
1 late war; and that with the Mexican Pension Bill
had reached the Executive at the same time, will
any tell US that by any just reasoning the Presi-
dent could have approved the one and vetoed the
| other? Are we TO be answered that the Mexican
war occurred IL years before the rebellioR! IL so.
| we answer, the two wars have no similarity what
| ever; aud the latter much above the former
! ia all that WIS worthy or demanding Of men the
sacrifice of service in the field that the II years OF
time fades out of sight Then add 10 this the fact
| that in the Mexican Pension Eli you bestowed
upon undeserving men donation from the Gov
eminent Treasury for life-men who stand,
/ md ,Nfia hefn heir
men. Annually they will receive gracious reniem-
brance In way Of money from the Nation they
fought TO destroy, while the poor destitute cripple
who fought for the Union was haughtily kicked
from the presence Of the Executive and vetoed.
smarting under the impuiation from Grover Cleve-
land, that all old veterans were predsposed 10
PERJURY
/ do not care TO dwell upon this subject ] de-
spise the arguments made recently, showing OF
trying 10 show, that the men now seeking pensions
are any the less worthy than those who have been
heretofore pensioned. know that the hummer
had hospital record that is allpowerful in esab-
fishing the required chain OF evidence before the
Pension Department. while many good soldier
refusing go hospital but stuck TO the field and
his command. fails 10 complete the chain Of eyi
dence, aud gets no pension. When n dishonest
claimant starts for pension he can just well FL
every link 10 falsify in any particular and hi,
]
stoned. The honest veteran, not willing 10 resor
10 such methods goes without pension. and th'
President in his innocence not being Of the world
has considered this and so assumes that al
tho honest and worthy veterans have received pen
sions, and all now trying to get them are preds
posed 10 falsfyl
For one, have times when ] am wicked enough
10 wish that the wheels Of time might turn back I,
lSGl, that rebellion might again shake the Repub
lie; that Sumter might be ablaze that the city O
Washington might he under menace from teason-
just 20 see how these cowardy specimens Of hu
: manity would act who now from their high eslat
> look with contempt upon the poor old veteran
who boy their sacrifices preserved the Government
Tor This other class 60 reyel in.
q I tell you. whenever this country has anothe
time like 1861, let some invent machine 10
] storing up recolections, that in n quarter Of
q century all may not he forgotten, and the men VIII
fight the country's battles be tainted with insinu.
J, lions Of perjury.-JAMIs A. HALL, Damariscoi;s
a Me.
WORK OF THE PENSION OFFICE.
/